


Antihero

by Jisooschrist



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: F/F, inspired by billie eilish's song lmao, listen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-01-04 10:59:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18342302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jisooschrist/pseuds/Jisooschrist
Summary: Jiu decides to rescue Siyeon, a "paranormally-gifted individual", from an evil corporation. Little does she knows, this will led even more evil corporations to look for the lost girl. Siyeon will discover more of her powers and what to do with them, and she will find out that she still has a place in the world and a new family... if she doesn't fail her mission.





	1. This is not a super hero!

**Author's Note:**

> okay this was supposed to be a oneshot but i guess. Please leave a comment or smth if you'd like to read some more of this :>

— What do you want from me? —

 

_Thump._

 

Silence.

 

Her dark eyes quivered around the room. She was studying Jiu. Was she a friend? Was she there to hurt her? She knew of her powers… yet she was standing there. Confidently, even though her pupils were wide with fright.

 

— Why don’t you run from me? —

 

Jiu didn’t quite know the answer. Why wasn’t she? 031 could have killed her, right then and there. She could have destroyed her body without leaving a trace. She could have if she wanted to.

She was a monster. Not a human, she was a _monster_. Monsters. That’s what surrounded Jiu everyday: freaks. Dangerous ones. And yet, what human would Jiu be if she just left her there?

031 was a monster. Her hands were those of a killer. Her mind was that of a psychopath. But her eyes… her eyes were human. Her eyes were afraid. Her eyes never rested, they examined the room until she was sure there was no danger.

She was just… a girl. She wasn’t a monster.

 

— I… —

 

It was like Jiu forgot how to breathe. She swallowed loudly, pushing the fear away. Air felt electric. She lifted her leg just faintly and took a step forward.

031 threw herself on the wall, hands searching for an exit behind her, mouth slightly open, eyes wide. Her chest was moving quickly and irregularly; the lights flickered.

 

Jiu stopped in her tracks. She waited a few seconds. — I want to help you get away from here — she almost whispered.

Why was she helping 031?

Maybe it was because she had seen her with eyes red from crying one too many times.

Or maybe she was nauseated by her screams, every time the researchers went into her cage to examine her.

Maybe it was the stains on her white vest.

Maybe it was the scars on her legs and feet, the calluses on her hands from scratching the wall all day long.

Maybe she was tired of seeing a helpless girl being turned into a monster. Like when they did “experiments”, putting starving wolves into her 3 meters wide cage. 031 screamed as loudly as she could. She cried, pleading Jiu’s colleagues to help her. 031 would almost die every time just because she couldn’t breathe, her hands shaking as she tried to stay as far away from the wolf. And then it was life or death. Then she couldn’t escape any longer and the wolves were tired and she did _not_ want to kill those wolves but it was stronger than her. She tried. She tried letting the wolves free her from her prison. She tried to give in, to let them scratch her back and bite her thighs. No matter how many times she tried, each time, as she was closing her eyes and letting her last breath go, they electrocuted her. When she didn’t let her powers take over, and she disappointed the researchers, they tried their own way. Just a bit of electric shock, and 031 lost control over her body. Just a bit of electricity and her eyes turned black, her hands were claws, and she turned into the monster. And there was only one wolf left in the room.

 

How could Jiu sleep when all she could hear at night were the screams of 031? ” _Let me die”_ , on loop, every second.

 

— I was wondering — Jiu said, after swallowing loudly.

 

Her sentence was followed by silence, interrupted by 031’s question: — What? What are you wondering? —

 

— Why you’re here, — Jiu took another step forwards — I looked into your secret info and… —

 

— What do you know? — 031 spoke again, without letting the nurse finish her sentence.

 

— That your real name is Lee Siyeon. That you were born in Daegu, on the 1st of October, in 1995, year of the pig. —

 

031, _Siyeon_ , stood still, listening to the information about her own life, as if they were those of somebody else, a stranger.

 

— That you were caught making little fireworks from your hands for your little cousins on the 31st of December, hence your number. —

 

Siyeon looked down, closing her eyes and exhaling loudly.

 

— And that you never hurt even a fly, unless your life is on the line. —

 

There was quiet in the room again.

 

Jiu looked at the time on her watch. It was 11pm. They had to be quick. She lifted her hand up in the air. — I felt like I couldn’t just leave you here. You’re innocent, I can’t just let them torture you, — Jiu said, — please, come with me. I will take you somewhere safe —.

 

Siyeon hesitated. Was Jiu really a friend? Or was it a trap? It could have been a trap… It was probably a trap, but what would the consequences be? She knew she was doomed to stay there forever. Nobody was going to save her, except for this Jiu girl, if she wasn’t lying. She either risked falling into a trap, or she was staying in the cage without even trying.

It would have taken a lot of recklessness to risk it all, and Siyeon had a lot of it.

 

As she walked forwards and grabbed Jiu’s hand, the latter didn’t waste a second before she started running, pulling the other behind her. She knew well the walls of that maze, and it wasn’t hard to reach the exit quickly. — Wait, — Jiu said, stopping in front of the exit. Siyeon’s heart suddenly stopped. Was it really a trap? Was the nurse going to leave her there? Were they going to get busted? She felt her knees lose stability, and the urge to run overflew her. — Take this. It’s cold outside. — Siyeon felt her lungs working again as Jiu handed her a big, black coat. She put it on quickly and they rushed outside.

 

To say that Siyeon missed the free air of the city would be an understatement. Sure, the fine dust was everywhere and it was so cold that the tip of her nose turned immediately red, but feeling cold, raw air, instead of the smell of rubber of her cage, was a relief she never imagined she would experience again. The sound of distant horns and music coming from some club and the background noise of people chattering was music for her ears, after for so long she had only heard either the slow pace of her own breathing, or the violent growls of hungry wolves.

— Come on, we don’t have time to waste — Jiu said, as she pulled Siyeon again, running towards some alleys.

The coat that she gave her was uncomfortable, it hitched Siyeon’s back and it did nothing to avoid cold breeze from entering from below. Plus, she was barefoot, and the road was a bit dark to see clearly what was on the ground. It was dark, maybe a bit too dark. Siyeon was used to the blinding light of her cage, suddenly seeing everything in a dark blue tone was too hard for her eyes, and soon panic started to enter her body again. Was it really a trap? Was the nurse just bringing her to somewhere dark to then put her back in the building again? A twisted game of some sort, perhaps? Or maybe she was trying to kidnap her? Maybe she was part of the people that she had been warned about. “ _We’re the good guys, much more evil peeps could have taken you in_ ” how many times had she heard that sentence? After every time she released her powers in the cage, trying her best (and sometimes succeeding into) destroying everything in her path. Maybe the nurse really was one of those evil people. But if they had already tortured her so much in the old building, and they were the _good_ people, what were the bad guys going to do? No, Siyeon wasn’t going to let that happen. She wasn’t going to be captured again. She was free. She had to be.

 

 

Suddenly Jiu was pinned against the wall, unable to move. Unhuman claws stung deep in the skin of her shoulders as she whimpered in pain. Siyeon stood just a few centimetres above eye level, lifted off the air by a tempest of winds below her feet, which shredded the ankles of Jiu’s pants. Siyeon’s eyes had turned of a clear, piercing blue, different from the terrified brown she had on earlier, and her hair floated gently around her face. Jiu was sure that, for a split second, she had seen fangs.

 

— You will regret this. I know who you are, — Siyeon spoke — I’m not going back in there! Or anywhere else! —. As she finished her sentence, she let go of the nurse and sprinted away, making her way through the small unknown alleys. A draught of wind followed her shortly, before everything went back to its initial quiet. Jiu didn’t hesitate to run after the girl.

 

If Siyeon was to escape, Jiu would have been in great trouble. Not as much as to be found guilty: she had taken her own precautions, for God’s sake. However, letting Siyeon loose and uncontrolled in the city, could have resulted in casualties and other bigger problems. _What was going through her mind_? Jiu, breathless, couldn’t help but find the answer in the look that Siyeon had given her right before walking out of her cage.

 

Suddenly the trail of wind that she was following stopped and Jiu found herself at the end of an alley, just before a big road. She walked closer to the lights and found Siyeon just… standing there. She walked closer cautiously, careful not to scare her. As she was finally close enough to look beyond the girl’s back, she saw that just a few meters away, a dog was standing on all four, with its ears jerked up and a straight tail, it was sniffing the air vigorously, as if it had found a prey, but its eyes weren’t facing Siyeon, whom was standing still, and as Jiu slowly positioned herself in between the animal and the girl, she could see that her eyes were wide open in terror, and her pupils as well were dilated and they were trembling slightly just like her lips and fingers.

 

— Siyeon — she called out, when she finally completely blocked the sight of the dog from the girl’s eyes, — it can’t hurt you. It’s not an enemy —, but Jiu’s words couldn’t stop the dog from starting to growl. Siyeon immediately jumped and moved a few steps back out of fear. Her pupils were now even more dilated and a single twitch of light escaped from her fingertips. _She can’t use her powers in public_ , Jiu thought, but the dog was walking slowly towards the two of them, completely ignoring its owner pulling the leash, and a cold breeze was starting to move around them. Most eyes were now fixated onto Siyeon, as still as a rock, who had a big black coat, bare feet and ankles full of scratches, and Jiu, who was shivering from the cold and was moving her eyes quickly from the girl to the dog and vice versa. _Fuck_. She hugged Siyeon tightly, giving her own back to the dog again, and she pushed her as strong as she could – all those early morning gym sessions were paying off – away from that street. The dog started to bark loudly, and before Jiu could do anything she found herself on the ground, pushed by Siyeon, who had one single hand raised in the air. Unlike when she was with wolves, this time no blue light shined from her hand. The dog stopped in its track, not emitting any sound as its tail waggled miserably between its back paws and its ears bent in submission. The owners came to grab their dog and walk away quickly, not saying a word, and Siyeon looked at the animal with a puzzled look.

 

Jiu pushed herself off the ground and grabbed Siyeon’s hand firmly, walking away from the spotlight, away from the confused looks of the by passers and back into the safety of the alleys again. — You’re not going anywhere without my permission from now on — she said. Siyeon didn’t answer.

 

 

 

As soon as she closed the door, Jiu sighed in relief. They were finally home, safe and sound. Siyeon hadn’t spoken a word since the incident with the dog, she just followed the other quietly. It was almost 1am at that point, and Jiu was sure she could hear her every single joint cracking at every movement. — Are you hungry? —. Siyeon nodded.

 

Just the day before they had eaten some chinese takeout, but of course it wasn’t in the fridge anymore. — Fuck! — she let out in frustration. Siyeon was caught by surprise, letting a faint high pitched exclamation, to which Jiu apologized immediately. — Sorry… my roommate ate my leftovers _again_ —. She pinched the bridge of her nose, shutting her eyes. She was tired… but the anxious feeling in her gut was probably going to let her stay up all night. — I was supposed to do the grocery yesterday, but I forgot, let me see what I have — she said.

Silence fell in the room again. The slow ticking of the clock gave an uneasy rhythm to the atmosphere.

Jiu could hear Siyeon fidgeting with something in the back as she checked for some food. She didn’t mind to look what she was playing with. — You didn’t tell me your name —

She turned towards Siyeon, surprised by the sudden question. The girl was standing up, hugging herself tightly, and the thick black coat couldn’t hide a slight trembling. Jiu just now remembered. Siyeon was still wearing the lab clothing, and she was still barefoot. Damn, there was a mess on the ground. Jiu sighed, and she looked at her from head to toe, as Siyeon looked around herself awkwardly. — Oh… sorry — she said, head down. — Don’t worry. I’ll go prepare you the bathroom, just stay here, okay? — Jiu said. — Oh and, just call me Jiu eonni —

 

Kim Minji, born on the 17th of May in 1994, year of the dog, in Daejeon. She moved to Seoul as soon as she finished school, an honorary student indeed, was the best of her class, and her efforts didn’t go unnoticed.

Being hired by a secret corporation which monitored paranormally-gifted people was definitely not something she had expected, but she didn’t dislike her job. Well, _her_ job was to assist the captives, not to watch them being tortured. She enjoyed making the people there as happy as she could. She liked to remind them that they were still humans, and not monsters, like the corporation wanted them to believe. Hell, she even went around telling the kids there that they were superheroes. She worked most with the kids actually, but sometimes she had to switch to the adults. However, one part of the corporation she had only seen once or twice. That’s where Siyeon was kept. Siyeon was part of a special élite, the most dangerous perhaps. She was never given the chance to assist them, the only few times she was called to operate there was when she had to clean after the biggest experiments, when they left a big mess.

When she saw Siyeon for the first time, she was laying on the ground, in a pool of blood. Minji didn’t even know whose blood was it.

Some people dressed in all yellows were cleaning the walls thoroughly with specialized vacuum cleaners, while Minji was following each step of two other workers who were dressed in all white, with some big surgical masks on. Siyeon was laying face down and she was breathing very slowly, even so that for a moment Minji thought she wasn’t even alive, but she was. They only cleaned her, brushing off the blood, without taking care of the actual wounds. Minji never understood why.

That was the first time Siyeon looked at her. Her eyes were black and deep and it felt as if they were screaming and as if they were locking her in a space that existed only in that moment, and that was made up only by the two of them.

 

Getting Siyeon’s folder was complicated, but Minji was smart, and she knew her way around the place. She looked for information, all that she could find, to explain why… what was going on- who was that girl? And she was just a bit more than a year younger than her and apparently she had been in that building for a long time. The descriptions of her paranormal characteristics were too detailed though, and it was nearly impossible for Minji, as hard as she tried, to understand even a single word. But all that she could manage to read was enough for her to decide that she was going to get that girl out of that cage.

 

As the towels and the change clothes were all ready, she closed the bathroom door and went back to the kitchen, surprised to find Siyeon still standing up, chewing… an apple? But they didn’t have apples — What are you… — she began to say, but as she walked closer she immediately realized, to her utter disgust and astonishment, that what Siyeon was chewing like an apple was… an onion. A whole onion. — Is that an onion? — she asked, unsure whether to laugh or be upset. Siyeon looked at it and nodded, while chewing slower and raising her eyebrows in expectations.

Minji had risked not only her job and her life but the whole city’s security… to rescue a girl who ate onions like apples. She didn’t even remember that they had onions. It was hilarious. She couldn’t hold back an almost hysterical laugh. — You’re really hungry, huh… go wash yourself in the bathroom, I found some packs of instant ramyeon in my room, I’ll prepare those in the meanwhile okay? — she said. Siyeon nodded shyly, and she waddled towards the room that was indicated, while Minji took her coat back and she threw it on the nearby sofa.

 

As she started heating the water, a click could be heard and not too long after, a shriek. — MINJI! — oh, this definitely wasn’t good news. — Bora, it’s 1 in the morning, why are you screaming? — she screamed from the kitchen. Of course, there was no answer. — Oh for God’s sake — she said, making her way to the door.

 

Bora was standing just a few feet away from it, her mouth and eyes wide open, staring at the stains on the floor. Minji had forgotten to clean up the mess Siyeon had made, and Bora was quite literally speechless. — Ah, that… — Minji scratched the back of her head as her roommate looked up at her, still not a word coming from her. — I can explain — she said. — You better. — Bora said.

 

 

At the end of the explanation, Bora was even quieter than before, and lord knows how hard it was to silence that girl. — Hello? Earth to Bora? — Minji said, snapping her fingers. — Minji what the actual, and I can not stress this enough, _hell_ were you thinking?! They’re going to find her here and they’re going to take all three of us captives- listen I know I told you that I hate my job but I didn’t mean it as an invitation to make me become just another- —, — Hey, Bora, stop. It’s not going to happen. I’ve taken my precautions, they’re not going to find out she’s here, alright? We’re safe —.

Bora hid her face behind her hands, waiting for a few seconds. — Where is she now? — she asked. — In the bathroom, taking a shower —. Bora looked at the floor, then at the clock, then at the floor again. — I am too tired now to clean this mess up but tomorrow, we’ll talk about it better. — she said, getting up to grab a beer from the fridge. — Oh you owe me one anyways, you ate my leftovers — Minji said. Bora almost choked as she immediately shouted — ARE YOU REALLY COMPARING SOME CHEAP CHINESE FOOD TO A RESCUED SUPER HERO? —. — Hey! Be quiet! Or the neighbours are going to kick us out of here… and she’s not a super hero! — Minji replied, taking a sip from Bora’s drink. — Super hero, paranormally-gifted individual, however you want to call her it’s the same, she has super powers Minji. Working at that corporate really made you lose touch with reality… and you’re making me lose it as well! — Bora exclaimed.

 

— Hey —

 

The two girls turned to see Siyeon, standing awkwardly, finally wearing some clean clothes and with wet hair all over her shoulders. Siyeon looked at Bora wary, and Minji immediately got up to introduce the two. — Bora, this is Siyeon. Siyeon, this is Bora, my roommate — the two greeted each other. — Let me dry your hair. Bora, can you please put some sheets on the sofa? I’m sleeping there tonight — Minji said, grabbing Siyeon’s wrist and pulling her towards the bathroom again. Bora groaned and followed the given orders.

 

Siyeon was starting to feel a little bit more comfortable, Minji thought. She was speaking a bit more (mind you, Minji made her wash her teeth thoroughly), and she let her hair be dried without complaints. When they were all done, Minji walked Siyeon to her room, but as she was about to walk to the living room, she felt a hand grab her own. Siyeon was looking at her, with those deep brown eyes again, looking like a puppy. — Sleep with me — she said. And in that moment, Siyeon looked so harmless and so needy of affection that there was no way that such an offer could be denied.

 

They barely fit in the bed, but it was okay. Minji was laying on her back, looking at the ceiling, unable to close her eyes, a tempest of thoughts and worries still raging through her whole body, from head to guts. Siyeon instead was turned on her side, facing the other girl. She was looking ahead of her, moving her feet slowly as she tried to fall asleep.

 

— Jiu eonni… —

 

Minji turned towards the girl, to find her staring at her.

 

— Why aren’t you scared of me? —

 

Did she have an answer? Probably not… nothing more than just… a gut feeling. That was it. She just felt as if she could trust her, as if Siyeon was harmless and not the monster they portrayed her to be.

 

— I think you’re just a normal girl. No, a _special_ girl, but not negatively. I know you wouldn’t hurt me —

 

Siyeon looked away.

 

— Then, why do you care for me? Why didn’t you free anyone else but me? —

 

Minji didn’t have an answer, again.

 

— It’s because… I had to choose. And I chose you. —

 

Nothing else came up to her mind. Siyeon didn’t ask anymore questions, and after a while her breathing got slower and, a few twitches aside, her body became still and Minji knew she had fallen asleep.

 

But she, on the other end, didn’t. She waited for the first rays of sunshine to make their way through the closed blinds, and every second of the night passed restless, all she could think of, in the midst of the anxiety and the doubt, were Siyeon’s eyes, and suddenly she felt reassurance that what she had done was right


	2. Busy morning and mint chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Minji goes back to work, she realizes that keeping Siyeon in her house is not going to be quite as simple as she hoped it would be. But maybe hair dye and her friendly nerdy neighbour can help.

To say that the dawn looked brighter that morning would have been an understatement.

The usually dull turquoise of the rising sun that brought melancholy on the city, that morning was a crystalline indigo, and the shades of pink felt warm rather than pitiful. The lively chirping of the birds was a more pleasant awakening than the high pitched alarm, and for a second, to have witnessed the beauty of another day starting, was enough for Minji to not be so upset about having been awake all night.

There was a rush of wind coming through the window – left ajar the night before to Siyeon’s request – that made her skin crawl slightly whenever the breeze touched her body. She pulled the sheets a little bit closer to her shoulders, careful not to block the sight on her left.

Siyeon had found a personal radiator in Minji’s body. She had clung to her the whole night, refusing to let go even for the shortest moment. Her left arm went over the girl’s stomach and her right hand was entwined with Minji’s left. Their legs laid tangled, and Siyeon’s slow breathing was a warm relief after every rush of cold gust. It was definitely a pity having to get up.

It was 6am, and theoretically, she didn’t need to get up for another good hour. Her workday didn’t start until 9:30am, but she had some more things to take care of.

The usual stuff: she got up, took a shower, drank a homemade coffee. With red hair tied up in a loose ponytail and rocking her pink pyjamas, she put herself to work. First, there was the whole mess in the living room to clean. It wasn’t too easy getting the dried mud off the floor, but it didn’t take her more than 10 minutes. Then, as soon as the clock hit 7am, she got out of the apartment, still in her pyjamas, but with her black coat on and slippers on her thick socks. It wasn’t the best outfit she could find, but hell, it’s not like anyone would have tried to hit on her this early in the morning. Maybe just the usual drunk guys whose faces were redder than her hair, and whose feet didn’t want to cooperate standing up.

There was a coffee shop just down the street, her usual stop during the weekend mornings. Having breakfast at home was not a common thing for her, she would usually grab something near her workplace before entering, or at the bar besides the gym when she worked out. Bora would usually come up with something at home, but there was a guest that day and Minji didn’t want to let her starve. So she bought some pastry: some hotteok, some songpyeon, some bungeoppang, the usual, alongside another coffee (this time with cream) for herself. When she got home, it was already past 7:30 and Bora was sitting at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone mindlessly while waiting for the kettle to start whistling.

 

— Oh, I thought you were sleeping — she said.

Minji put the bag on the table, slapping Bora’s hand when she reached for it. — That’s not for you — she scolded. — But it smells good! — the shortest whined, — Is it hotteok? —.

Minji ignored her roommate, walking straight towards her room, grabbing some clothes quietly, careful not to wake up Siyeon. Would it have been best for her to wake her up? Maybe. Siyeon was going to be scared waking up without her, right? But she also needed to sleep decently in a warm bed. Minji just walked back to the living room after her morning routine was all done.

— I need to go to work — she notified, glancing at the clock. — And you’re leaving her here? — Bora asked. — Well I sure can’t bring her with me to work now, can I? —

Bora grunted, following with a question on what was she supposed to do when Siyeon woke up. — I don’t know, listen to what she wants to do. Keep her away from prying eyes and take your phone with you wherever you go —.

Bora wasn’t amused.

 

Minji knew that it was clearly impossible for the people in the streets to know about the crime she had committed just a few hours earlier. Though the little escapade had some troubles, she was sure that nobody could recognize her face in the daylight. Yet it felt as if a thousand eyes were hovering over her, eavesdropping her inner voice, interviewing her, and the sun felt like the cold light of an interrogation room. Her arms gripped her stomach tighter as she lowered her head, and she walked quickly counting her steps: first to the subway, then out, then to her workplace.

As soon as she entered the building, an equip of unknown people welcomed her. Their uniforms were completely black, from head to toe, and they had to resort to hand movements to make Minji understand that she had to stop and let them search for suspicious objects on her body. It wasn’t until when her co-worker from the other side of the room told her to do so, that she pulled out her pass and was let go.

 

— What happened? — she asked, acting her most innocent smile.

Her co-worker, a young woman with a black bob and keen eyes, whose name was Yeeun, shrugged. — I don’t know, they were already here when I arrived —.

— One of the test subjects escaped — another voice intruded their conversation.

Minji and Yeeun turned to face another one of the nurses. — They already looked for the CCTV footage but it has been corrupted —.

 

— Who escaped? — Yeeun asked.

 

— Zero thirty-one — the nurse replied.

 

— Kim Jiu-ssi —.

 

Minji turned to the side, following the source of her name. — Come with me —.

 

She did take some acting classes in the past, but keeping a straight face while droplets of sweat fell from her forehead was not really helpful. She hoped though that they would understand how stressful of a situation that would have been even for someone perfectly innocent.

The corridor had never been so tight. Suddenly she needed air, her trachea refusing to cooperate. _Get it together_ , she thought _, if they find out it’s over for all three of us._

 

The room was not quite an interrogation room. A bunch of people were standing, while two sat at a table with a big screen on it. It seemed to be like a radar of some sort, and a few other smaller screens on the side displayed words and numbers and rooms that Minji couldn’t quite distinguish.

 

— Jiu-ssi — her boss said.

 

— Yes sir —.

 

— You were the last one to leave the building yesterday —.

 

Minji gulped. Her lungs froze.

 

— You left about one hour before the incident. Though, did you see someone suspicious lurking around? —.

 

Oxygen found its way to her brain again.

 

— No… no sir. —

 

— Are you sure? Even just some civilians standing near the buildings? —

 

Minji tried to take her time to think, but the glares on her were too heavy, and if she thought too much, she was sure they were going to uncover the lie.

 

— I’m sure that I didn’t see anyone, sir. It was night, if there was someone it might have gone past my eyes. I apologize, sir —

 

_God…_ they all stared at her for a bunch of seconds. Then at each other. Then back at the screen.

 

Then one of the men in front of the screens spoke. — Sir, we could see the emission of electric power on the radar, see if something suspicious pops up on the map —.

 

_FUCK._ They were going to find out about Siyeon! No, that couldn’t happen. Minji coughed loudly, bringing the attention to herself. She excused herself, claiming to have a bad sore throat, and asked if she could leave to take some medication. They let her. And once she hid in the bathroom, in the most private place she could find, she prayed all the gods that Bora would pick up the phone.

 

 

 

 

 

— So you really like mint chocolate, huh? —.

 

Siyeon lifted her face from the pint of ice cream in front of her, the corners of her lips stained with the dessert. Bora’s eyebrow was raised, eyes squaring the girl up and down out of pure curiosity. Siyeon smiled, giving a few quick nods before moving her attention back to her breakfast.

_Geez, she was hungry_ , Bora thought, the empty packages of food that Minji had bought all laying in front of her. She then got up, leaving the girl to her business, moving on to fold the sheets she had prepared on the couch the night earlier while grumbling to herself — I can’t believe I had to make her a bed and then she just slept with you —.

 

But suddenly the quiet was interrupted. A loud vibrating sound came from the kitchen table, and Bora heard Siyeon jump back before she could even turn her head. The girl was floating a meter above the ground, her head hitting the ceiling and hands squeezing the pint of ice cream that she had taken before jolting back, and her eyes were fixated to a luminous phone shuddering quickly on the table. — Don’t worry! It’s just my phone, it won’t hurt you — Bora said, hopping towards her iPhone. On it, Minji’s name was glowing on the lockscreen. — Hello? — she answered the call, watching Siyeon slowly come down to the pavement again.

 

_— Bora, you need to go away —._

 

Minji’s voice was shaking, and it was so low, like a whisper that Bora could barely hear.

 

— What’s going on? — she asked, doing her best to hide her worry so as not to scare Siyeon again.

 

— _I need- take Siyeon to the nearest- now_ — panic was growing in Minji’s voice.

 

— What are you saying? Where do I need to take her? — Bora raised her voice, Siyeon now glaring at her.

 

_— Pc bang! Now! Right now! —_.

 

Minji ended the call.

— What the fuck… — the shortie muttered. She looked over at Siyeon, who was still hugging the now melted pint of ice cream. She was wearing some clothes that their roommate had lent her the night before, but her feet were bare and the clothes were too thin to go out like that. Bora ran to Minji’s room, grabbing the first pair of shoes she could find, and she told Siyeon to put them on while looking for the heaviest coat she could find, a hat, face mask, sun-glasses: everything that could cover up her face and that blond hair of hers. — We’re leaving for a few minutes, Jiu eonni’s orders — Bora said, helping Siyeon put on all the layers. The latter nodded, following the orders calmer than Bora would have imagined. Maybe she trusted her already, maybe the ice cream bribed her, or maybe she just trusted Minji enough, and Minji trusted Bora: it wasn’t important in that moment. In a quick strut, Bora pulled Siyeon out of their apartment, walking quickly, eyes quivering left and right in the familiar streets. Her phone didn’t have any news of her roommate, but she didn’t let that go to her head. It was clear that her being stressed would have meant Siyeon being stressed, which would have meant chaos.

Thankfully the pc bang was already open, and pretty full as well. There weren’t many high school students at that hour, mostly exchange students and young adults were sitting at the desks, eyes too busy with their games to notice the two of them entering. Bora felt the grip on her hand tighten. She looked over at Siyeon, whose face was completely covered, her expression hidden. She got closer to the girl, who just muttered — Too many people —.

Siyeon’s head was bent down, and through the heavy coat Bora could see that her chest was heaving fast. Her free arm was holding her own stomach, and her legs were shut. — Follow me — Bora whispered to her.

They entered the bathroom, which was thankfully empty. Siyeon took off her mask, placing it under her chin, and she put the sunglasses on the sink. She laid back, shoulders on the wall, lifting her head and breathing slowly. _She knows how to calm herself_ , Bora thought.

— I wonder why Minji told me to come here — she thought out loud.

Still no news from her roommate.

 

 

 

 

Minji ended the call, quickly hiding her smartphone and walking back to the room she was in before. She didn’t enter, instead she just joined the group of nurses watching the progress from outside.

On the bigger screen of the room, a black map of the city appeared. Buildings and roads were outlined in a dark turquoise colour, and opaque white lights were starting to light up all around the city. Some of them became yellow, then orange, some of a dark burgundy. The shapes built up slowly, taking several minutes to complete a single neighbourhood. No one dared to say a word, watching in silence the big screen. Then a message popped up on the map, claiming that the process was complete. Minji looked at her watch quickly. About twenty minutes had passed since when she had called Bora. She should have made it to the pc bang by that time, if Siyeon didn’t try to escape again.

The men in black scanned silently the coloured map, highlighting the parts with burgundy spots. One in particular was darker than the others. It was near Minji’s house. A knot formed in her throat, and she was too scared to swallow, the gulp carrier of her guilt.

 

— What’s in that area? — the boss asked, his tone stern, shoulder threatening against the light of the screens.

 

The workers at the computers typed quickly on the keyboards, opening another normal map of the city, zooming in the building with the strong burgundy light. — A pc bang — one of them said.

 

— Is that emission of energy normal? — the boss asked again, this time his voice a bit more unsure.

 

— There must be a lot of people — one of the workers replied.

 

The boss grumbled, hitting the desk with his fist.

 

— Excuse me sir — a feeble voice called out from Minji’s right ear.

 

Everyone turned to look to the source of it, being a very embarrassed Yeeun. — This morning they released a new update for a famous online game, maybe there’s a lot of people because of that — said the girl, voice fading after each syllable. The boss stared at her for a few seconds, before nearly shouting — What did you say? —.

Yeeun’s blood had suddenly gone entirely to her face, her soul leaving her body. — This… this morning they released a new update for a famous online game, maybe that’s why there are a lot of people there —. 

This time the boss understood. — And how do you know that – he squinted his eyes to look at the girl’s name tag –, Jang Yeeun-ssi? — he asked.

Yeeun probably saw her entire life flashing before her life. — I… I play that game — she said in a dead tone.

The boss nodded once, before sighing loudly. — Leave the room. We’ll call you if we need you, just go wait in the reception —.

Minji could finally breathe again.

 

 

_From: Roomie_

_10:27am_

_“You can go home. Thank you. I will explain later. Is Siyeon alright?”_

 

Bora exhaled at the message, feeling the lump in her chest finally unknotting. “ _Ok. She’s fine”_ she typed quickly, putting her phone away and leading Siyeon out of the building. — How do you feel? — she asked.

Siyeon’s features were completely covered by the mask and the glasses once again, and the most that Bora could make of her face were bright pink cheeks, probably reddened from the change in temperature. — Better now — she muttered.

— Let’s go home — Bora regained a confident smile. They were out of danger now, apparently, and she definitely knew what to do that day.

 

— Pillarbox red, dark tulip or ebony? —

Siyeon’s eyes switched unsure between the bottles that Bora was holding in front of her. She examined the colours depicted on the plastic, then her eyes went up to Bora, brows moving closer and mouth slightly pouting. — Can’t choose? — Bora asked, turning the bottles to look for herself. — Pillarbox red is the one that Minji is using currently, so we should leave it to her. Dark tulip is pretty but maybe… too much red? — she put the three bottles on the counter behind her. — Let’s just go with ebony, it’s less likely to catch any attention. You’re good with that? —.

Siyeon nodded.

— You can relax now — Bora said in her most gentle tone, while her hands forcefully pushed down Siyeon’s stiff shoulders. The latter tried to make herself more comfortable on the chair, her eyes still wide open, and legs ready to flee at any inconvenience.

But it was the sight of herself that made her uncomfortable.

 

In the cage, the only way she could see herself was through the reflective window on one of the walls. When she was younger, the first period in there, she would stare at it all the time. She thought that maybe her glare could pierce through the scientists’ eyes and convince them to set her free.

It never did.

But as she grew older, she couldn’t look anymore. And if she did catch a glimpse of the reflection, she was sure that it wasn’t her. She knew that her hair was dark brown, not blonde. And her eyes used to be almost black, not of a diamond blue, and they were wide with curiosity and not fright.

So she just stopped looking. The reflection she would see in that window wasn’t her, it was what those people had made of her. The only way she could remember herself of her humanity was by pinching her skin, or caressing it gently. But in the end, was she even human? She could kill a person without batting an eye, but she didn’t and she never would. Was that the only thing that made her human?

It was not the body she was in for sure.

 

And in that mirror, in a stranger’s bathroom, was the first time she saw her reflection again in so long. It wasn’t lit by the white light of the lab, but rather some warm light that made her skin look alive, rather than white and cadaveric.  And despite the fact that she had slept soundly and warm that night, eye bags were still evident above her cheeks. Her lips weren’t dry and chappy, and the strands of ruined blonde hair were being replaced by shiny black by Bora’s hands.

Was that Siyeon? She didn’t know anymore. She couldn’t tell. She wouldn’t have been able.

Her eyes automatically looked down, avoiding her sight, the bubble of thought slowly thinning away, and Bora’s voice now echoing in her ears more clearly.

— Siyeon? — the girl asked.

Siyeon hummed, without looking away from her feet.

In a matter of seconds her sight was interrupted by big upturned eyes and thick eyebrows.

— Is everything alright? — Bora’s voice was low and warm.

Siyeon couldn’t answer.

Bora’s eyes were not like those of the scientists. They were more similar to Minji’s eyes. They weren’t glass but rather living souls. They didn’t mean any harm. She wasn’t the predator, but a friend.

— Can we cover the mirror? — Siyeon murmured.

Bora smiled. — Sure. Do you still want me to dye your hair? I can stop if you want. — she said, getting up to find some scotch tape and some paper sheets.

— No, it’s okay, continue, — Siyeon took a deep breath before answering, — I don’t like them blonde anyways —.

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as Minji opened the door and stepped in, she was thrown a few feet backwards by a body launched directly onto her. Arms gripped tightly to her neck and chest pressing against hers. Legs barely stood up.

 

She saw Bora inside the house, looking at her while smiling with her arms crossed. — Siyeon! — Minji called out laughing, giving in the hug. All she got as a reply was an irregular breathing, and a few humid sobs.

— Siyeon-ah — she said again, this time in a sweeter tone, rubbing the girl’s back gently. — It’s okay, I’m back. I didn’t leave you —.

 

— I’m sorry — Siyeon managed to phrase between a sob and the other.

 

It took them a whole minute of hugging for the younger to break it. Minji didn’t let her go away. She pulled her close again, this time making their foreheads touch, caressing her cheeks as if they were made of a precious cloth, wiping her tears. — There’s nothing to be sorry for. I should apologize for leaving you — Minji said, with the brightest smile on her face. — No — Siyeon sobbed again. She wanted to speak, but only tears got out.

 

— She really missed you — Bora said, leaning on a wall. Minji moved, grabbing Siyeon’s waist tightly. — I missed her too — she smiled, feeling Siyeon breathing normally again, no more tears flowing. — Did you dye her hair? —.

Bora nodded.

— It looks good — Minji pinched Siyeon’s cheek, closing the door behind her once finally inside. — I brought lunch — she then announced, leaving some bags on the table.

 

 

— So what happened earlier? — Bora asked, her mouth full with takeout food.

Siyeon looked to her, then to Minji, who put the bite she was about to eat down before answering:

— They were going to use an abnormal energy detector to see where she could have gone, so I thought the best way to camouflage was to bring her somewhere where the waste of energy is usually high so that it wouldn’t make a difference, like a pc bang full of computers —.

Bora stopped chewing, furrowing her brows upwards. — Did they fall for that? —.

Minji hummed, eyes closed in delight at the taste of the warm street food. — Yeeun-ssi said that today one of those famous online games released an update, so there probably were a lot of people, hence the high consume —.

Bora and Siyeon looked at each other, then went back to eating, still baffled by Minji’s words.

A few minutes later they were done eating. They cleaned the table and sat down on the couch.

Quiet interrupted in the span of two minutes.

 

Someone knocked on the door twice. — Eonni? It’s Yoohyeon — a voice said from behind the door.

— Did you invite her? — Bora asked, watching as Minji got up to open. The latter nodded quickly, letting their friend in with a hug. — Yoohyeon, meet Siyeon —.

Siyeon remained seated on the couch, her eyes wide like those of a stray cat, quivering between Minji and the stranger. Yoohyeon kneeled, getting at the same height as the other girl, a gummy smile on her face as she spoke.

— So, it’s you the super hero? —

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi :) this chapter is kinda useless i KNOW but. Listen i was desperately trying to fight a writers block so maybe publishing can help. ALSO the next chapter is going to have much more stuff in it so please look forwards to it! Thank you so much for reading until now <3


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